Convincing
by CrookedSpoon
Summary: One-shot. Mizuki tries out a new kind of scouting at the Senbatsu Camp.


**Title**: Convincing  
**Characters/Pairings:** Mizuki/Shinji  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Word Count:** 1,027  
**Warnings**: None in particular; boys kissing, crack, Mizuki.  
**Disclaimer**: Standard disclaimers apply.  
**Notes**: Written for LJ comm 100prompts (prompt #31 "Belong")

* * *

Mizuki was not proud to receive an invitation to the Junior Senbatsu Camp (well, maybe a little), it was a matter of course that his carefully scouted tennis players would be selected. An acknowledgment of their skills. Even if they hadn't made it to the Nationals, they had the right to be here.

Although Mizuki wondered whether he could have done without the priviledge, seeing as the Senbatsu uniforms were _hideous_. He couldn't suppress a shudder when he saw them. Oh, Holy Vorgin Mary! The colors clashed horribly with his hair, not to mention his teint. He would very much like to take his complaint personally to the designer's face. Mizuki could understand that black and red were 'hip' colors, but the composition was plain horrifying. What impertinence!

In short, these clothes didn't suit him. In fact, they didn't suit _anyone_, not even Kajimoto-kun who usually managed to make even the sleaziest bit of clothing look fashionable. It practically _itched_ just wearing them. Not that Mizuki would ever let that complaint slip past his lips. He had faced and overcome obstacles of far less agreeable nature, all for the sake of tennis and his data.

As it was, when their attention was finally directed to the reason they have all been gathered, he forgot all about his initial reluctance to show himself in public clad in tastelessness. He was focused. Every rally in front of him was automatically analyzed and compared to his current data, correcting and eliminating any gaps there might have been.

Ever since his crushing defeat against Fuji he had learned that his data was not as reliable as he would like to think. It irked him to admit that whatever he had compiled was not the complete amount. He should have taken into account that they were still growing teenagers whose potentials have not been reached yet.

Here and now, however, he was presented with the proof that his data was very accurate indeed. It was elevating. In his mind, he designed training menus for all the tennis players present, whenever they were displaying their skills. Figuring out how to hone them was easy enough for the most part. (Maybe not so much with Atobe or Yanagi, for example, but those two already attended prestigious private schools with formidable facilities and would scorn his offer to transfer to St. Rudolph. Besides, most regulars from Rikkai and Hyoutei had so little room left for improvements that while it would be profitable to have them aboard their team for tournaments, training them would be - in essence - boring. Mizuki wanted to see the results of his protégés' labour clearly and not search for it with a magnifying glass.)

Especially the two players from Fudoumine piqued his interest. Kamio Akira and Ibu Shinji, both second years, who would stay behind when Tachibana transferred to a different school. Which would present Mizuki with the perfect chance to recruit them to St. Rudolph. If only their idea of team spirit was not so strong. They had both improved a lot since the time he had watched them at the Kantou Tournament and at the street tennis courts.

That was why Mizuki could never let the chances slip by when he noticed one of them was alone, out of range of potential observers or eavesdroppers. It was his motive to casually engage them into a friendly conversation, commenting on their improved play, and generally opening them up to him and letting them see a side of Mizuki that shared their interests (whether he actually did or not was beside the point).

One evening Mizuki decided to strike up some small talk with Ibu-kun, who was on his way to the water dispenser for refreshment, before making his point. He wanted him as St. Rudolph's player, even if it would be in high school. Mizuki was surprised how easily the conversion went rolling, even thought Ibu-kun did not look overly talkative. During his data gathering sessions Mizuki had learned, however, that he has the habit of spilling out words like a fountain once he got started on something. That unfortunately meant whatever Mizuki said would be drowned out by Ibu-kun's mumbling.

So Mizuki did not give him the chance to start and after some random topics, he began relating the advantages of playing tennis at St. Rudolph; better courts and equipment, bigger lockers and changing rooms, individually adjustable training schedule, improvement under his guidance etc. Once Ibu-kun's attention had been captured it had to be held fast or else it would slip away again, like a piece of wet soap. His thoughts must be floating around like bubbles too, what with the attention span of a firefly. But he did listen.

(Soap, hmm.) When he was mostly done, Mizuki let his hand travel up Ibu-kun's arm to stroke over his neck and card his fingers through the silky black strands, while his face drew closer to inhale their scent. "You've got beautiful and soft hair."

He chuckled, when Ibu-kun blinked at him, startled at the sudden turn of events. Then he ran a hand over his head. "Thanks... I take good care of it. I wash it every d--" Mizuki pressed his lips on Ibu-kun's before he could finish his sentence. They were rough, but pliable; just a nudge with his own and they parted invitingly. An invitation Mizuki wouldn't think of declining. The waxen flavor of his lip balm spread over his taste buds as his tongue snaked out into Ibu-kun's mouth. Mizuki felt a rush of delight bloom in his stomach area as the other's tongue hesitantly brushed up against his.

Mizuki flicked his thumb over Ibu-kun's bottom lip to wipe off some excess saliva as they parted. Resting one hand on the other's shoulder, Mizuki fumbled a marked piece of paper out of his uniform pocket and slipped it into Ibu-kun's waistband. He flashed him one last charming smile, before he turned. "Let me know about your answer or... if you need more convincing." He winked coquettishly and held up his hand in parting. "And please tell your friend the same offer applies to him."

* * *

**Omake**:

"Wait a second there!" Kamio-kun's rapidly approaching voice called. "I wanted his first kiss!!"

Mizuki looked at Ibu-kun again, face a perfect picture of innocence. "I'll tell him myself, nfu."


End file.
